SIXTEEN automotive companies have made the top 100 of Interbrand’s listing of companies by brand value, including the first appearance of Subaru, which crept into 100th place.

The annual listing, based on the worth of the company judged by factors including customer perception and business performance, this year announced that Apple, Google, and Amazon are the three most valuable brands in its 2018 Best Global Brands report.

The report also found that the luxury and retail sectors are this year the most dominant categories.

The 2018 list of all brands has two new entrants – Subaru in 100th place and Spotify in 92nd. Three have returned; Chanel back in 23rd, Hennessy in 98th and Nintendo in 99th. Nintendo last made an appearance in 2014, while the other two were last seen on the 2009 list.

Apple and Google have held the top position for the sixth consecutive year.

Interbrand reports that more than half of the Best Global Brands came from five sectors: Automotive (16), Technology (13), Financial Services (12), Luxury (nine), and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (nine).

“Luxury is the new top-growing sector in percentage terms (42 per cent), replacing Retail, which continues impressive growth at second (36 per cent),” Interbrand said in its report.

“Electronics is third (20 per cent), Sporting Goods is fourth (13 per cent), followed by Financial Services (10 per cent).

“The combined total value of the Top 100 crosses the two-trillion dollar threshold with $US2,015,312m, an increase of 7.7 per cent from 2017.”

Hyundai – in 36th position overall and in the Top 10 automotive group for the 14th consecutive year – has seen its brand value rise three per cent, to $US13.535 billion.

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INTERBRAND TOP 10 (and comparison with 2017 ranking)

	BRANDS	BRAND VALUE
1	Apple (up 16%)	$US214.48 billion
2	Google (up 10%)	$US155.506 billion
3	Amazon (up 56%)	$US100.764 billion
4	Microsoft (up 16%)	$US92.715 billion
5	Coca Cola (down 5%)	$US66.341 billion
6	Samsung (up 6%)	$US59.89 billion
7	Toyota (up 6%)	$US53.404 billion
8	Mercedes-Benz (up 2%)	$US48.601 billion
9	Facebook (down 6%)	$US45.168 billion
10	McDonalds (up 5%)	$US43.417 billion

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Other automotive:

13	BMW (down 1%)	$US41.006 billion
20	Honda (up 4%)	$US23.682 billion
35	Ford (up 3%)	$US13.995 billion
36	Hyundai (up 3%)	$US13.535 billion
40	Nissan (up 6%)	$US12.213 billion
41	Volkswagen (up 6%)	$US12.201 billion
42	Audi (up 1%)	$US12.187 billion
52	Porsche (up 6%)	$US10.707 billion
71	Kia (up 4%)	$US6.925 billion
78	Land Rover (up 2%)	$US6.221 billion
80	Ferrari (up 18%)	$US5.76 billion
82	Caterpillar (up 18%)	$US5.73 billion
88	John Deere (up 12%)	$US5.375 billion
90	Mini (up 3%)	$US5.254 billion
93	Harley-Davidson (down 9%)	$US5.161 billion
100	Subaru (new)	$US4.214 billion

By Neil Dowling